“I Believe”: Becoming Through Reflection in World Religions

In Chaplain Beth Barksdale’s World Religions class, learning does not stop at understanding belief systems; it invites students to turn inward. This year, that invitation took shape through a powerful capstone project: the creation of personal Credal Statements.

Rooted in the Latin word credo, meaning “I believe,” a credal statement is more than a declaration of faith. It is an act of reflection. It asks students to consider who they are becoming, what values guide them, and how they hope to live in the world. For adolescents standing at the threshold of adulthood, these are not abstract questions; they are essential ones.

Throughout the year, students studied a wide range of world religions, engaging deeply with traditions, texts, rituals, and philosophies that have shaped human meaning across cultures and centuries. Rather than asking students to adopt any one belief system, the course encourages curiosity, empathy, and thoughtful engagement. The Credal Statement project draws from that foundation, inviting students to integrate what they have learned with their own lived experiences.

The result is a deeply personal process. Students reflect on the influences that have shaped them: family, culture, spirituality, doubt, joy, loss, and hope. They examine where their values align with or diverge from religious traditions studied in class. And they articulate, often for the first time, what they believe about purpose, responsibility, love, justice, and community.

What makes this capstone especially meaningful is how it is shared. Rather than submitting a paper alone, students present their credal statements to the campus community through creative expression. Some choose movement or dance to embody belief. Others turn to music, visual art, or symbolic objects. Some find meaning in nature or in quiet, intentional conversation. Each presentation becomes a lived expression of belief, unique, vulnerable, and courageous.

These moments of sharing transform the classroom into a space of witness and connection. As students listen to one another, they are reminded that belief is not static or singular. It evolves. It is shaped by encounter. It is held with humility. In seeing one another’s stories, students deepen not only their self-understanding, but their respect for the diverse ways meaning is made.

The Credal Statement project reflects the heart of Chatham Hall’s approach to spiritual life and education: forming thoughtful, reflective young women who can engage a complex world with integrity and compassion. In articulating what they believe, students are not asked to have all the answers. Instead, they are encouraged to begin, to name what matters now, knowing it will continue to grow.

In the simple, profound words “I believe,” students claim their voices and their values. And in doing so, they take an important step in the lifelong process of becoming.